Section: «Poems»
Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings:
artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.);
a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").
Earth's Eternity
Man, Earth's poor shadow! talks of Earth's decay:But hath it nothing of eternal kin?No majesty that shall not pass away?No soul of greatness..
© John Clare
Early Spring
The Spring is come, and Spring flowers coming too,The crocus, patty kay, the rich hearts' ease;The polyanthus peeps with blebs of dew,And daisy..
© John Clare
Early Nightingale
When first we hear the shy-come nightingales,They seem to mutter o’er their songs in fear,And, climb we e’er so soft the spinney rails,All stops as..
© John Clare
Dyke Side
The frog croaks loud, and maidens dare not passBut fear the noisome toad and shun the grass;And on the sunny banks they dare not goWhere hissing..
© John Clare
Distant Hills
What is there in those distant hillsMy fancy longs to see,That many a mood of joy instils?Say what can fancy be?Do old oaks thicken all the..
© John Clare
Dewdrops
The dewdrops on every blade of grass are so much like silver dropsthat I am obliged to stoop down as I walk to see if they are pearls,and those..
© John Clare
Decay
O Poesy is on the wane,For Fancy's visions all unfitting;I hardly know her face again,Nature herself seems on the flitting.The fields grow old and..
© John Clare
Death
Why should man's high aspiring mindBurn in him with so proud a breath,When all his haughty views can findIn this world yields to death?The fair, the..
© John Clare
Country Letter
Dear brother robin this comes from us allWith our kind love and could Gip write and allThough but a dog he'd have his love to spareFor still he knows..
© John Clare
Clock-O'-Clay
In the cowslip pips I lie,Hidden from the buzzing fly,While green grass beneath me lies,Pearled with dew like fishes' eyes,Here I lie, a..
© John Clare
Christmas
Christmas is come and every hearthMakes room to give him welcome nowE'en want will dry its tears in mirthAnd crown him wi' a holly boughTho tramping..
© John Clare
Braggart
With careful step to keep his balance upHe reels on warily along the street,Slabbering at mouth and with a staggering stoopMutters an angry look at..
© John Clare
Bonny Mary O!
The morning opens fine, bonny Mary O!The robin sings his song by the dairy O!Where the little Jenny wrens cock their tails among the hens,Singing..
© John Clare
Bonny Lassie O!
O the evening's for the fair, bonny lassie O!To meet the cooler air and walk an angel there,With the dark dishevelled hair,Bonny lassie O!The bloom's..
© John Clare
Birds In Alarm
The firetail tells the boys when nests are nighAnd tweets and flies from every passer-bye.The yellowhammer never makes a noiseBut flies in silence..
© John Clare
Bantry Bay
On the eighteenth of October we lay in Bantry Bay,All ready to set sail, with a fresh and steady gale:A fortnight and nine days we in the harbour..
© John Clare
Ballad
A faithless shepherd courted me,He stole away my liberty.When my poor heart was strange to men,He came and smiled and stole it then.When my apron..
© John Clare
Badger
The badger grunting on his woodland trackWith shaggy hide and sharp nose scrowed with blackRoots in the bushes and the woods, and makesA great high..
© John Clare
Autumn Birds
The wild duck startles like a sudden thought,And heron slow as if it might be caught.The flopping crows on weary wings go byAnd grey beard jackdaws..
© John Clare
Autumn
The thistledown's flying, though the winds are all still,On the green grass now lying, now mounting the hill,The spring from the fountain now boils..
© John Clare
Approaching Night
O take this world away from me;Its strife I cannot bear to see,Its very praises hurt me moreThan een its coldness did before,Its hollow ways torment..
© John Clare
An Invite, To Eternity
Wilt thou go with me, sweet maid,Say, maiden, wilt thou go with meThrough the valley-depths of shade,Of night and dark obscurity;Where the path has..
© John Clare
All Nature Has A Feeling
All nature has a feeling: woods, fields, brooksAre life eternal: and in silence theySpeak happiness beyond the reach of books;There's nothing mortal..
© John Clare
A World For Love
Oh, the world is all too rude for thee, with much ado and care;Oh, this world is but a rude world, and hurts a thing so fair;Was there a nook in..
© John Clare
A Vision
I lost the love of heaven above,I spurned the lust of earth below,I felt the sweets of fancied loveAnd hell itself my only foe.I lost earth's joys..
© John Clare